Giving the monk more choices: the Mystic, version 1.6 -- post #41

[CRGreathouse]

This is my attempt at an alternate monk. (There'a a PDF version attached to post #41, if the board's formatting makes it hard to read.)


First, the monk's unarmed abilities are changed into feats thus (note that these feats surpass and replace Improved Unarmed Strike):

Guarded Unarmed Strike [Fighter]
Benefit: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed—that is, you do not provoke attacks or opportunity from armed opponents when you attack them while unarmed. However, you still get an attack of opportunity against any opponent who makes an unarmed attack on you.
Additionally, your unarmed damage increases to 1d4 as a Medium creature (adjusted for size).
Normal: Without this feat, you are considered unarmed when attacking with an unarmed strike.

Lethal Unarmed Strike [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Guarded Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: Your unarmed strikes can deal normal or subdual damage, at your option.
Additionally, your unarmed damage increases to 1d6 as a Medium creature (adjusted for size).
Normal: Without this feat, you can deal subdual damage at no penalty or normal damage at a –4 penalty.

Flurry of Blows [Fighter]
You strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Guarded Unarmed Strike, Lethal Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: When unarmed or using a kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, or natural weapon, you may take an extra attack at your highest attack bonus. If you do, all attacks this round suffer a –2 penalty.

Improved Flurry of Blows [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Flurry of Blows, Guarded Unarmed Strike, Lethal Unarmed Strike, base attack +5.
Benefit: When you flurry, your attacks suffer a –1 penalty instead of a –2 penalty.
Additionally, your unarmed damage increases to 1d8 as a Medium creature (adjusted for size).

Greater Flurry of Blows [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Flurry of Blows, Guarded Unarmed Strike, Improved Flurry of Blows, Lethal Unarmed Strike, base attack +9.
Benefit: You suffer no attack penalty when you flurry.
Additionally, your unarmed damage increases to 1d10 as a Medium creature (adjusted for size).

Supreme Flurry of Blows [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Dex 17, Flurry of Blows, Greater Flurry of Blows, Guarded Unarmed Strike, Improved Flurry of Blows, Lethal Unarmed Strike, base attack +12.
Benefit: When you flurry, you make two extra attacks at your highest bonus instad of one.
Additionally, your unarmed damage increases to 2d6 as a Medium creature (adjusted for size).

Fists of Iron [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Str 13, Guarded Unarmed Strike, Lethal Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, base attack +15.
Benefit: Your unarmed damage increases to 2d8 as a Medium creature (adjusted for size).


Mystic
Alignment: Any nonchaotic.
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The mystic’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.


Level Special
1st Mystic power or bonus feat, paths
2nd Mystic power, slow fall 10 ft
3rd Mystic power or bonus feat
4th Mystic power, still mind
5th Mystic power or bonus feat
6th Mystic power, slow fall 20 ft
7th Mystic power or bonus feat
8th Mystic power, purity of body
9th Mystic power or bonus feat
10th Mystic power, slow fall 30 ft
11th Mystic power or bonus feat
12th Mystic power, additional path
13th Mystic power or bonus feat
14th Mystic power, slow fall 40 ft
15th Mystic power or bonus feat
16th Mystic power, timeless body
17th Mystic power or bonus feat
18th Mystic power, slow fall 50 ft
19th Mystic power or bonus feat
20th Mystic power, perfect self


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the mystic.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mystics are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, and sling. They are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Path: Mystics choose two paths from the following list:
Acrobat: The following skills are added to the Mystic’s class list: Balance (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), and Tumble (Dex). Her base Reflex save improves to match her base Will save.
Empath: The following skill is added to the Mystic’s class list: Sense Motive (Wis). She may gain an animal companion as a ranger of her level or a familiar as a wizard of her level (but not both).
Free Spirit: Any two skills of the mystic's choosing is added to her class list. The mystic can multiclass freely.
Killer: The following skills are added to the Mystic’s class list: Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha). She may choose to gain +1d6 sneak attack instead of a mystic power on even levels.
Lorekeeper: The mystic gains bardic knowledge.
Priest: The mystic adds Knowledge (religion) to her class list. She may select a magical talent as a mystic power, granting the ability to prepare and cast one first-level spell from the cleric list. This is a divine spell and follows the same rules for clerics casting spells, except that the mystic cannot spontaneously cast healing spells and need not have a minimum Wisdom score to cast it. This may be taken instead of a mystic power up to 9 times, each time granting a spell one level higher. A mystic twice the Hit Dice of the spell level to cast it. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a mystic can't cast these spells.
Savant: The mystic may choose powers as though her Wisdom was 8 higher than it actually is, or as if it were 20, whichever is better.
Scholar: The following skills are added to the Mystic’s class list: Knowledge (all) (Int), Listen (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and any two.
Warrior: The Mystic can choose feats as though her base attack from this class was the same as a fighter’s. Her base Fortitude save improves to match her base Will save.
Mystic Power: At every level the mystic chooses one power from the table below. Her level plus Wisdom modifier determines the total number of powers she can choose. She can’t choose the same power twice unless otherwise noted.


Mystic Powers
Lvl+Wis Mod Power
1 or less Additional path*
2 Preternatural sense
3 Fast movement*
4 Skill mastery*
5 Evasion
6 Domain*
7 Magical ki strike
8 Wholeness of body*
9 Focused mind*
10 Healing talent*
11 Resistance*
12 Camaraderie
13 Improved evasion
14 Lawful ki strike
15 Walk on water
16 Abundant step*
17 Diamond body
18 Diamond soul
19 Quivering palm*
20 Adamant ki strike
21 Lawgiver*
22 Tongue of the sun and moon
23 Empty body
24 Prowess*
25 Speak with stones
26 Improved empty body*
* May be taken more than once.

[sblock]
Abundant Step (Su): A mystic can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door, once per day. Her caster level for this effect is one-half her mystic level (rounded down). This mystic power can be taken more than once, increasing the number of uses by 1 each time. Additionally, the second time it is taken the caster level increases to the mystic's level (instead of half of the mystic's level).
Adamant Ki Strike (Su): A mystic’s unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Her unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. A mystic must have the magical ki strike power to choose this mystic power.
Camaraderie (Su): The mystic must be on the empath path to select this power. The mystic can attract stronger companions. If she attracts a familiar she acts as though she had the Improved Familiar feat. If she has an animal companion it gain powers as though she was a druid three-quarters her level instead of a ranger of her level. If she attracts a new companion she may instead choose a fiendish servant as a blackguard as though her character level was her class level or a paladin warhorse as a paladin of her level.
Diamond Body (Su): A mystic gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.
Diamond Soul (Ex): A mystic gains spell resistance equal to her current mystic level + 10. In order to affect the mystic with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mystic’s spell resistance.
Domain: A mystic must be on the priest path and be an exclusive worshipper of a deity to select this power. She chooses one of her deity's domains, gaining its granted power. If she has taken a magical talent, she can prepare spells from that domain as well as from the cleric list.
Empty Body (Su): A mystic gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 round per mystic level per day, as though using the spell etherealness. She may go ethereal on a number of different occasions during any single day, as long as the total number of rounds spent in an ethereal state does not exceed her mystic level.
Evasion (Ex): If the mystic makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the mystic is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless mystic does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Fast Movement (Ex/Su): Each time the mystic takes this ability, she gains a +10 ft enhancement bonus to her speed. These stack with each other (but not with other enhancement bonuses). When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a mystic loses her fast movement. These increases are natural until the mystic’s base speed is doubled, and supernatural thereafter. Add the supernatural component of the speed to the distance the mystic can slow fall.
Focused Mind (Ex): Once per day as a standard action the mystic can harden her mind against influence. The next time she is subject to a spell or ability allowing a Will save she resists it, gaining a bonus equal to 10 + one-half her class level on the save. This ability lasts for 1 hour or until used.
Healing Talent (Su): A mystic must select wholeness of body before this power. She can heal others (but not herself) a number of hit points of damage equal to three times her current mystic level each day, and she can spread this healing out among several uses.
Improved Empty Body (Su): As empty body, but for 1 minute per mystic level per day. This power requires and replaces the empty body power.
Improved Evasion (Ex): A mystic henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed Reflex save for half damage (and no damage on a successful save). A helpless mystic does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Lawful Ki Strike (Su): A mystic’s unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Her unarmed attacks are treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. A mystic must be lawful to choose this power and loses this power if she ceases to be lawful.
Lawgiver (Su): A mystic must select lawful ki strike and magical ki strike before this power. Once per day per six class levels (but not more than once per round) the mystic can empower her unarmed strikes with lawful power. This deals +2d6 damage to chaotic creatures. The charge is lost if the mystic hits a nonchaotic creature, but remains if the mystic misses her attack.
Magical Ki Strike (Su): A mystic’s unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Her unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction.
Preternatural Sense (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the mystic adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, the mystic gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level and every five mystic levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the mystic is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
Prowess (Ex): The mystic gains a +1 bonus on all attack rolls. She loses these bonuses when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
Quivering Palm (Su): A mystic can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the mystic so desires. She can use this quivering palm attack once a week, and she must announce her intent before making her attack roll. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. Otherwise, if the mystic strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter the mystic can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to her mystic level. To make such an attempt, the mystic merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the mystic’s level + the mystic’s Wis modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time. A mystic must have the magical ki strike ability and the Fists of Iron feat to choose this power.
Resistance (Ex): The mystic gains resistance 2 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic. This power may be selected multiple times; its effects stack.
Skill Mastery (Ex): The mystic chooses one skill with which she can take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.
Speak with Stones (Ex): The mystic gains 60 foot tremorsense. She must have tongue of the sun and moon before selecting this ability.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex): A mystic can speak with any living creature.
Walk on Water (Su): A mystic gains a +60 competence bonus on Balance checks to walk on surfaces that couldn't support the character's weight (such as water, finger-thin branches, and clouds). A mystic must select fast movement at least twice to choose this ability.
Wholeness of Body (Su): A mystic can heal her own wounds. She can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to twice her current mystic level each day, and she can spread this healing out among several uses.[/sblock]
Bonus Feat: Every odd level, a mystic may choose a bonus fighter feat instead of a mystic power.
Slow Fall (Ex): At 2nd level or higher, a mystic within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow her descent. When first using this ability, she takes damage as if the fall were 10 feet shorter than it actually is. The mystic’s ability to slow her fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves by 10 feet every fourth level.
Still Mind (Ex): A mystic of 4th level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment.
Purity of Body (Ex): At 8th level, a mystic gains immunity to all diseases except for supernatural and magical diseases.
Diamond Body (Su): At 12th level, a mystic gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.
Timeless Body (Ex): Upon attaining 16th level, a mystic no longer takes penalties to her ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that she has already taken remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the mystic still dies of old age when her time is up.
Perfect Self: At 20th level, a mystic becomes a magical creature. She is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the mystic’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the mystic gains damage reduction 10/magic, which allows her to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonmagical weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn’t have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the mystic can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type.
Epic Bonus Feats: The epic mystic gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic mystic bonus feats) every three levels higher than 20th. She may choose a mystic power instead of a bonus feat, if desired.
Epic Mystic Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Epic Ki Strike, Epic Prowess, Epic Speed, Epic Toughness, Exceptional Deflection, Fast Healing, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Spell Resistance, Improved Stunning Fist, Infinite Deflection, Keen Strike, Legendary Climber, Legendary Wrestler, Reflect Arrows, Righteous Strike, Self-Concealment, Shattering Strike, Vorpal Strike.

Ex-Mystics
A mystic who becomes chaotic cannot gain new levels as a mystic but retains all mystic abilities (except lawful ki strike and lawgiver).
Like a member of any other class, a mystic may be a multiclass character, but multiclass mystics face a special restriction. A mystic who gains a new class or (if already multiclass) raises another class by a level may never again raise her mystic level, though she retains all her mystic abilities. This restriction does not apply to mystics on the free spirit path.

 

[Cheiromancer]

An elegant piece of work. You've obviously devoted a lot of time to it. I am going to have to try to make up sample characters using these rules.

I like the virtual wisdom boost that the savant path gets. Have you considered a similar (perhaps smaller) virtual dex boost for the killer (or maybe warrior) path? That way any mystic could take the flurry of blows feat-chain. Or, if they prefer to use weapons, they could go the TWF route. If the latter would tread on the ranger's schtick too much, exemption from the flurry's dex requirements might be a perq of the path.

 

[CRGreathouse]

An elegant piece of work. You've obviously devoted a lot of time to it. I am going to have to try to make up sample characters using these rules.

Yes, that's a good idea. I'll try my hand at it, too -- here are three simple characters, all human 5th-level mystics. As such they all have slow fall 10', still mind, and +3 base attack, though the rest differs a fair bit. (These are just sketches of characters, not nearly fully-statted stat blocks -- they're getting the idea across, no more.)

Paths: Acrobat, Warrior
Feats:
1. Guarded Unarmed Strike
1. Lethal Unarmed Strike (human bonus feat)
1. Flurry of Blows (mystic bonus feat)
3. Weapon Finesse
5. Improved Flurry of Blows (mystic bonus feat) -- qualified through Warrior path
Mystic abilities:
2. Preternatural sense
3. Evasion
4. Magical ki strike

This is the archetypal monk, along with all typical abilities. His fists deal 1d8 points of damage and strike as magical weapons, and he can flurry for just a -1. His Wis needs to be high for his preternatural sense to help him out much (although with his 5 levels he does get a free increase).


Paths: Killer, Scholar (Hide and Move Silently)
Feats:
1. Stealthy
1. Point Blank Shot (human bonus feat)
3. Weapon Finesse
Mystic abilities:
1. Additional path (savant)
2. +1d6 sneak attack -- qualified through Killer path
3. Evasion
4. +1d6 sneak attack -- qualified through Killer path
5. Wholeness of body

This is a true killer, steeped in the dark arts -- along with a full complement of Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (the planes) -- taking her next level in the assassin prestige class. A less studious assassin candidate might have taken the Acrobat path instead, increasing her Reflex save at the cost of the Knowledge skills. With a high Int and Dex, she couldn't afford much in the way of Wisdom, so she took the savant path. Since she wears armor and has bad Wis, she won't bother with preternatural sense.


Path: Empath, Lorekeeper
Mystic abilities:
1. Additional path (scholar)
2. Magical talent (1st)
3. Wholeness of body
4. Magical talent (2nd)
5. Healing talent

This is a healer and spellcaster, protected in combat by a wolf companion.

I like the virtual wisdom boost that the savant path gets. Have you considered a similar (perhaps smaller) virtual dex boost for the killer (or maybe warrior) path? That way any mystic could take the flurry of blows feat-chain. Or, if they prefer to use weapons, they could go the TWF route. If the latter would tread on the ranger's schtick too much, exemption from the flurry's dex requirements might be a perq of the path.

Those are pretty neat ideas. I wouldn't worry too much about treading on the ranger -- an ability that works for all feats is probably best, anyway.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Ok, I've spent a few minutes looking over your PDF, and a couple of issues come to mind.

Some nit-picky things:

You use two different terms for what appear to be the same thing: Mystic Power and Mystic Ability.

The Mystic table says that you get a mystic ability every level, and your examples do too; but the text says "At 1st level and every two levels higher than 1st (3rd, 5th, 7th,...), the mystic chooses one power from the table below." I think you need to correct the text.

The empath ability says "as a ranger of level (minimum 1)." The parenthetical remark seems unnecessary.

The Magical Talent ability needs to be clarified. Does the mystic cast divine spells? How are the spell DCs calculated? The caster level? Can a mystic choose a lower level spell in place of a higher level spell? Are there ability pre-requisites, or could a high level mystic with below average wisdom still cast spells? Oh, and I think you are missing the word "have" when you write "A mystic must all the previous magical talents..."

Some suggestions. The first two are editorial:

You might want to add another line to the heading of the Mystic Powers table to clarify that it is "Lvl + Wis Mod" and not "Lvl + Wis", or people might think you are referring to the wisdom score. The text explains it, but a little redundancy would be prudent.

Rearrange the order in which you list powers according to their alphabetical order, not their order of acquisition. It makes them easier to find.

The mystic can't fall as far as a monk can. Maybe add the enhancement bonus to speed to the distance that can be fallen safely. Better yet, add the supernatural component of the speed to the distance. The rationale is that stronger legs can absorb the shock of lengthier falls, and smaller characters (with lower movement rates, and so with a higher supernatural component to their speed) can fall further.

The ability to run on water would be a neat ability for a mystic that has a supernatural movement rate.

Some psionic feats might be a good idea. I don't have my psionics handbook anymore, but IIRC it has movement feats like "up the walls." A chain of feats that end with (short-range) flying like the wuxia films have would be nice.

Consider letting more powers be taken multiple times, either allowing more uses per day or greater effects. Abundant step, empty body, healing talent, magical talent, prowess, resistance and wholeness of body seem likely candidates.

Observations:

This is a great class for meeting prestige class pre-requisites. With the right paths and feats, you can get into all sorts of things.

Diamond body is a pet peeve of mine. I don't think monks should be immune to poison. Consider the martial art characters of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Kill Bill: Volume 2 who die of poison. I don't know what should replace the ability, but it would please me if it were at least made optional. Maybe give fast movement to all monks at 12th level.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Ok, I've spent a few minutes looking over your PDF, and a couple of issues come to mind.

Some nit-picky things:

I love nit-picking corrections, seriously -- they help me get the text just right. It's especuially hard because I was designing it as I wrote it, as I'm sure you can tell.

You use two different terms for what appear to be the same thing: Mystic Power and Mystic Ability.

I thought there wasn't much possibility for confusion and that it varied the wording. Perhaps it is confusing; I should probably change the text.

The Mystic table says that you get a mystic ability every level, and your examples do too; but the text says "At 1st level and every two levels higher than 1st (3rd, 5th, 7th,...), the mystic chooses one power from the table below." I think you need to correct the text.

Yes, thanks.

The empath ability says "as a ranger of level (minimum 1)." The parenthetical remark seems unnecessary.

Ah, good catch. It originally said "as a druid half your level (minimum 1)", where it was needed.

The Magical Talent ability needs to be clarified. Does the mystic cast divine spells? How are the spell DCs calculated? The caster level? Can a mystic choose a lower level spell in place of a higher level spell? Are there ability pre-requisites, or could a high level mystic with below average wisdom still cast spells? Oh, and I think you are missing the word "have" when you write "A mystic must all the previous magical talents..."

How's this?

Magical Talent: A mystic prepare and cast one spell of the specified level from the cleric list. These are divine spells and follow the same rules for clerics casting spells, except that the mystic cannot spontaneously cast healing spells and need not have a minimum Wisdom score to use these spells. A mystic must have all the previous magical talents and twice the Hit Dice of the spell level to select this power. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a mystic loses her magical talent.

You might want to add another line to the heading of the Mystic Powers table to clarify that it is "Lvl + Wis Mod" and not "Lvl + Wis", or people might think you are referring to the wisdom score. The text explains it, but a little redundancy would be prudent.

That's a typographic issue: I was trying to find a way to have the text fit in the column. I'll see what I can do.

Rearrange the order in which you list powers according to their alphabetical order, not their order of acquisition. It makes them easier to find.

Hmm... not a bad idea.

The mystic can't fall as far as a monk can. Maybe add the enhancement bonus to speed to the distance that can be fallen safely. Better yet, add the supernatural component of the speed to the distance. The rationale is that stronger legs can absorb the shock of lengthier falls, and smaller characters (with lower movement rates, and so with a higher supernatural component to their speed) can fall further.

That's reasonable, especialyl considering how weak the fast movement ability is. Frankly my reasoning on making that a mystic power instead of an automatic ability was that monks' high speed bothered me. This will help to make it a viable selection.

The ability to run on water would be a neat ability for a mystic that has a supernatural movement rate.

Excellent, I love it!

Some psionic feats might be a good idea. I don't have my psionics handbook anymore, but IIRC it has movement feats like "up the walls." A chain of feats that end with (short-range) flying like the wuxia films have would be nice.

Consider letting more powers be taken multiple times, either allowing more uses per day or greater effects. Abundant step, empty body, healing talent, magical talent, prowess, resistance and wholeness of body seem likely candidates.

These are probably good ideas. I'll have to look over the psionic feats again to refresh my memory; I haven't played in a game using them for a while. The quick fix for someone playing in a game with psionics would be to allow the bonus feats to be selected from fighter feats or psionic feats.

I must admit I'm wary of allowing prowess to be taken multiple times, though. I'll have to run some numbers on that.

This is a great class for meeting prestige class pre-requisites. With the right paths and feats, you can get into all sorts of things.

Yep, I like that aspect. Of course I have to watch it carefully to make sure it isn't making anything way too easy (but I don't suspect that will be the case).

Diamond body is a pet peeve of mine. I don't think monks should be immune to poison. Consider the martial art characters of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Kill Bill: Volume 2 who die of poison. I don't know what should replace the ability, but it would please me if it were at least made optional. Maybe give fast movement to all monks at 12th level.

First, I don't think that these characters need to be represented by monks or mystics of such high level.

Second, you're probably right; it might be better to have this as a mystic power. I'll try to find something that offends you less than diamond body and me less than fast movement.

 

[Cheiromancer]

How's this?

Magical Talent: A mystic prepare and cast one spell of the specified level from the cleric list. These are divine spells and follow the same rules for clerics casting spells, except that the mystic cannot spontaneously cast healing spells and need not have a minimum Wisdom score to use these spells. A mystic must have all the previous magical talents and twice the Hit Dice of the spell level to select this power. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a mystic loses her magical talent.

Folks are bound to ask at what time of day the mystic prepares her spells, whether she needs to rest for 8 hours before hand, whether she needs to worship a god, whether alignment infractions will result in loss of spellcasting. The text is kind of ambiguous about these matters.

Another issue: I think you should write "can't use" instead of "lose" in the last line. For suppose there was a magical effect that is effective against spellcasters; does it cease to affect a mystic if she uses a shield and thereby loses her magical talent, and thereby ceases being a spellcaster? And do you really mean "Hit Dice" instead of "class level"?

Here are some other ways of writing the ability description:

Magical Talent: A mystic prepares and casts one spell of the specified level from the cleric list. The mystic becomes a divine spellcaster and is treated as a cleric of the same level except that the mystic cannot spontaneously cast healing spells and need not have a minimum Wisdom score to use these spells. A mystic must have all the previous magical talents and twice as many class levels as the spell level to select this power. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a mystic cannot use her magical talent.

If you want to vary the parameters, you'll write it a different way. For example, to change the answers about divine patron, preparation time, rest requirements and alignment infractions, you would write:

Magical Talent: A mystic prepares and casts one spell of the specified level from the cleric list. The mystic becomes an arcane spellcaster and is treated as a sorcerer of the same level except that the mystic uses Wisdom instead of Charisma to determine spell DCs, and need not have a minimum ability score to use these spells. A mystic must have all the previous magical talents and twice as many class levels as the spell level to select this power. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a mystic cannot use magical talent.

I think I like the sorcerer variant better, though it does mean that the mystic will have to rest before preparing spells. And it is odd to have an arcane spellcaster use wisdom as the key ability.

I'll have to look over the psionic feats again to refresh my memory; I haven't played in a game using them for a while. The quick fix for someone playing in a game with psionics would be to allow the bonus feats to be selected from fighter feats or psionic feats.

I am not fond of psionics; if you could invent a feat chain that culminates in wuxia-style flight, that would be even better.

I must admit I'm wary of allowing prowess to be taken multiple times, though. I'll have to run some numbers on that.

If the character takes the savant path and maxes out her wisdom, I think she could get prowess 7 times pre-epic. But that means fewer feats for the flurry chain, which is kind of self-defeating. The fighter has more attacks from high BAB and has greater specialization and greater weapon focus to compensate. I don't think it would be unbalancing. Let me know if your numbers come out differently.

First, I don't think that these characters need to be represented by monks or mystics of such high level.

Second, you're probably right; it might be better to have this as a mystic power. I'll try to find something that offends you less than diamond body and me less than fast movement.

Maybe Li Mu Bai (owner of Green Destiny) is a high level monk10/something else, but Pai Mei's five point palm exploding heart technique certainly looks like quivering palm. You are right that they don't need to be represented by high level monks or mystics, but it would be nice if they could be.

What else could they have that would be equivalent to poison immunity? Maybe give them some kind of deathward ability?

Oh, one other thing I just noticed: One issue that people consistently have with monks (or paladins) is the multi-classing restriction. Would it detract from the mystic class if it lacked this feature?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Folks are bound to ask at what time of day the mystic prepares her spells, whether she needs to rest for 8 hours before hand, whether she needs to worship a god, whether alignment infractions will result in loss of spellcasting. The text is kind of ambiguous about these matters.

As the text says, it's just like a cleric (except where called out otherwise). She need not worshi a deity (per PH; particular campaigns will change this, of course). She prepares when clerics prepare, or chooses a time to prepare if she worships no god. She loses spellcasting just as a cleric would.

I think I like the sorcerer variant better, though it does mean that the mystic will have to rest before preparing spells. And it is odd to have an arcane spellcaster use wisdom as the key ability.

I'm changing the way this works, which will affect the wording. The spells are intentionally divine, though, not arcane. (Obviously this would be easy to change if someone sees them differently for the purpose of their campaign.)

I am not fond of psionics; if you could invent a feat chain that culminates in wuxia-style flight, that would be even better.

Have you seen the Book of Iron Might? There are some magical feat chains with abilities like this. I'd consider opening up the feat selection to allow this.

If the character takes the savant path and maxes out her wisdom, I think she could get prowess 7 times pre-epic. But that means fewer feats for the flurry chain, which is kind of self-defeating. The fighter has more attacks from high BAB and has greater specialization and greater weapon focus to compensate. I don't think it would be unbalancing. Let me know if your numbers come out differently.

I just made a change to it and added the *. Let me know what you think.

Maybe Li Mu Bai (owner of Green Destiny) is a high level monk10/something else, but Pai Mei's five point palm exploding heart technique certainly looks like quivering palm. You are right that they don't need to be represented by high level monks or mystics, but it would be nice if they could be.

What else could they have that would be equivalent to poison immunity? Maybe give them some kind of deathward ability?

Oh, one other thing I just noticed: One issue that people consistently have with monks (or paladins) is the multi-classing restriction. Would it detract from the mystic class if it lacked this feature?

I sort of like the multiclassing restriction. Hmm... I have a thought. I'll add it to my latest version.

 

[CRGreathouse]

OK, here's my updated version. I've added about 8 new abilities and changed many things based on your feedback. What do you think? It's worth looking over in full; there are many changes. I dropped diamond body down to a mystic power and replaced ti with additional path -- I figure now that I've added more paths there's good reason to think someone would want more than 2.

Of course, it's not really best to grant it at such a high level, but such is lack of imagination.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Lots of cool things!

OK, start with nit-picks:

She may select a magical talent as a mystic power, granting the ability to prepare and cast one first-level spell from the cleric list.

How about simply "She gains the ability to prepare and cast one first-level spell from the cleric list."

Later on you can write "This path may be taken up to 9 times, each time granting a spell one level higher." This avoids a vague referent and simplifies the wording.

You have to adjust the wording of the Domain Mystic Power. If the mystic is on the priest path she automatically can cast spells, and does not need to take the magical talent mystic power. In fact, magical talent is no longer on the mystic powers list. Instead of

If she has taken a magical talent, she can prepare spells from that domain as well as from the cleric list.

say that "The domain spells can be selected as if they were on the cleric list."

A mystic twice the Hit Dice of the spell level to cast it.

This sentence no verb. And I notice that a fighter5/mystic 5 can cast a 5th level spell if she devotes all her mystic power slots to the task. Is this intentional?

Walk on Water (Su): A mystic gains a +60 competence bonus on Balance checks to walk on surfaces that couldn't support the character's weight (such as water, finger-thin branches, and clouds). A mystic must select fast movement at least twice to choose this ability.

A few words would let you avoid cross-referencing the ELH:

Walk on Water (Su): A mystic gains a +60 competence bonus on Balance checks to walk on surfaces that couldn't support the character's weight, such as water or fragile branches (DC 90) or even clouds (DC 120). A mystic must select fast movement at least twice to choose this ability.

Mind you, I'd probably make the bonus +40 or +30, and allow fast movement to add to the bonus.

I am uncomfortable with the wording "requires and replaces" in Improved Empty Body. Read literally, it suggests that a character who takes it no longer meets the pre-requisites. A pedantic nit-pick, but how about this wording:

Improved Empty Body (Su): The duration of the mystic's Empty Body ability increases to 1 minute per mystic level per day.

I would leave off the *. It is 10 times the duration of empty body, and 20 minutes a day should be plenty.

Some other comments:

I like your compromise on multiclassing. It retains the flavor of monkly discipline, but allows exceptions. I like the improvement to abundant step. Camaraderie is also a nice boost to the empath path. Lawgiver is a good continuance to the lawful ki strike ability. Skill mastery is a good idea, too, since mystics will often have skills they need to be able to use reliably.

I am not sure about Focused Mind, though. On the one hand, it is very powerful, more powerful IMHO than Slippery Mind. On the other hand, it works only once per day, and can be triggered (and wasted) by a trivial spell or effect. I think it is simultaneously too strong and too weak, and so I would recommend replacing it with Slippery Mind. If you adjust it so that the mystic can use it in response to a strong attack (before rolling, but after learning what the target DC is), then you could keep it in a weaker form. (Make the bonus equal to the class level, say.)

And I think you should just make diamond soul the 12th level ability. It fits well with still mind/purity of body/timeless body, is about the right power level for a 12th level ability (it comes at 13th level for a standard monk), and is something that, for all we know, Li Mu Bai and Pai Mei both had. If people want more paths, they can take one at any level.

Got to go... I think this is everything, but I might comment more later.

 

[Arkhandus]

Regarding some feats that grant wuxia-style flight....this is a feat chain I had worked up for a low-magic oriental campaign I've been planning. It probably takes too long and too much to grant flight, but a few of the feats could always be cut to make for a neater, shorter path. To note though, it's based on 3.0 D&D so certain feat names or mechanics may differ in 3.5 play. I plan on posting these soon anyway with my Budokai, Shinobi, and Noble classes; and yes, I know Budokai isn't the proper term for a martial artist, Budoka is, but I prefer the sound of Budokai.

Leap Of Grasshopper (General, Martial Art)
You can jump incredibly high and rapidly.
Prerequisites: BAB +1 or higher, Strength or Dexterity 13+, Jump 5+ ranks.
Benefits: Your maximum jumping distance and height are doubled. You can make a Jump check as a free action once per round as though it were a 5-foot step, though not necessarily being limited to only a 5-foot leap. Even when leaping from a standing position, you count as though you had moved 20 feet before the jump. Leap Of Grasshopper counts as an extraordinary ability.

Ki Leap (General, Martial Art)
You can enhance your leaps and bounds by manipulating your ki.
Prerequisites: BAB +3 or higher, Strength or Dexterity 13+, Wisdom or Charisma 13+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Jump 8+ ranks.
Benefits: You add your Wisdom modifier, if positive, and your Charisma modifier, if positive, combined as an enhancement bonus on all Jump checks. You also have no maximum jumping height or distance based on your size or height. Lastly, once per hour you may take 10 or take 20 on a Jump check regardless of distractions or dangers, and without the extra time usually needed for such an action, as you use a brief surge of ki to propel you on a sure course through the air. This last benefit may not be used when making a Jump check as a free action with Leap Of Grasshopper or Bound Of The Hare. Ki Leap counts as an extraordinary ability.

Tread Like Spider (General, Martial Art)
You have an exemplary natural equilibrium, honed through martial arts and ki training.
Prerequisites: BAB +5 or higher, Strength or Dexterity 13+, Wisdom or Charisma 15+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Balance 5+ ranks, Jump 8+ ranks.
Benefits: You can use your ki to lighten yourself such that you can tread on water, thin tree branches, rooftops, and so on without falling through, damaging the item with your weight, slipping, or losing your balance; most of these benefits are automatic, though in the case of retaining your balance in such situations, you simply gain a +10 bonus on your Balance checks. You can also use this to fall more slowly and land lightly, thus ignoring one die of falling damage per two character levels you possess, due to your light landing. It takes no conscious effort for you to utilize this ability, as it simply activates by instinct or reflex whenever it would apply, so long as you are conscious. You may choose to suppress this ability at any time, which takes no effort or action. You can only benefit from Tread Like Spider for up to one minute per two character levels each day, rounded down. Each time this ability activates, it lasts 1 round (6 seconds) unless you choose to sustain it for additional rounds, which again takes no action or effort. Tread Like Spider counts as an extraordinary ability.

Floating Crane Glide (General, Martial Art)
You are so skilled at channeling your ki for great leaps that you seem almost to float like a graceful crane in flight.
Prerequisites: BAB +7 or higher, Strength or Dexterity 13+, Wisdom or Charisma 17+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Balance 8+ ranks, Jump 10+ ranks.
Benefits: You may fight and perform other actions while you jump, and on any given round you may choose to spend a full round gliding through the air with a series of leaps and bounds, during which your feet hardly even alight upon the ground with each leap before you float back into the air again; you may not perform any free jump actions when doing so, as you already spend the entire round jumping. However, when doing so, you can jump from a standing position and yet treat the jump as though you had been running at your full speed the entire round before leaping, as you use ki to propel you onward even from a stationary position. Also, while jumping in this manner, you can perform any actions normally even through you are airborne and would not ordinarily be capable of acting during a jump; you can even perform 5-foot steps by redirecting your ki to shift position in mid-leap. The only actions you cannot perform then are free jump actions and move actions (although move-equivalent actions are allowed), as you are already counted as moving through the air the entire round as you act. Lastly, you gain a +2 bonus on all Jump skill checks merely from having this feat. Floating Crane Glide counts as an extraordinary ability.

Bound Of The Hare (General, Martial Art)
Your speed and expertise at rapid leaps makes you a formidable foe, swiftly hopping to and fro to evade and confuse.
Prerequisites: BAB +9 or higher, Strength or Dexterity 15+, Wisdom or Charisma 17+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Tread Like Spider, Floating Crane Glide, Balance 10+ ranks, Jump 10+ ranks.
Benefits: You are capable of making rapid hopping jumps or mighty leaps that span great heights and distances. You may jump as a free action twice per round, in addition to the free jumping action you can take each round from the Leap Of Grasshopper feat. In addition, you double your result when performing a Jump check as a free action, for this feat and for Leap Of Grasshopper. Lastly, your nimbleness in combat grants you a +1 dodge bonus to AC, which stacks with other dodge bonuses as usual. Bound Of The Hare counts as an extraordinary ability.

Soar Like A Sparrow (General, Martial Art)
You can manipulate and project your ki to manipulate air currents and propel yourself through the air on a personal buffet of wind, simultaneously using ki to lighten yourself and float upon the personal breeze you generate.
Prerequisites: BAB +9 or higher, Dexterity 15+, Wisdom or Charisma 17+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Tread Like Spider, Floating Crane Glide, Balance 8+ ranks, Jump 12+ ranks.
Benefits: When using the gliding ability of Floating Crane Glide, you may choose to instead Fly at your land Speed + 20, with Poor maneuverability, and when doing so you are treated as though you possessed the Fly-By Attack and Hover feats from the Monster Manual, although since you fly with such ease and grace, you may perform even full-round actions as you glide about. Lastly, you may now take 10 on a Jump check as per the Ki Leap feat even when jumping as a free action with Bound Of The Hair or Leap Of Grasshopper, but you cannot take 20 in this manner for such a check. Soar Like A Sparrow counts as a supernatural ability.

Wind Dance (General, Martial Art)
Your graceful, floating movements form a deadly aerial dance.
Prerequisites: BAB +9 or higher, Dexterity 17+, Wisdom or Charisma 17+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Tread Like Spider, Floating Crane Glide, Soar Like A Sparrow, Balance 10+ ranks, Jump 10+ ranks.
Benefits: When jumping, or gliding with Floating Crane Glide, or flying with Soar Like A Sparrow, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC for the round and can strike opponents as though they were caught flat-footed, usually denying them their Dexterity bonus to AC and similar AC modifiers unless they possess an ability such as the Rogue's Uncanny Dodge. The dodge bonus to AC granted by this feat is not cumulative with itself, so jumping multiple times in any given round does not grant additional dodge bonuses. However, this dodge bonus stacks normally with other dodge bonuses to AC. Additionally, you may use the Tumble skill while airborne via jumping, gliding with Floating Crane Glide, or flying with Soar Like A Sparrow, allowing you to perform aerial acrobatics to boost your AC or for other purposes. Wind Dance counts as an extraordinary ability.

Aerial Swoop (General, Martial Art)
You can make a powerful diving attack from mid-air, using your superior jumping skills and ki manipulation.
Prerequisites: BAB +11 or higher, Dexterity 17+, Wisdom or Charisma 17+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Tread Like Spider, Floating Crane Glide, Soar Like A Sparrow, Wind Dance, Balance 12+ ranks, Jump 12+ ranks.
Benefits: While you are in mid-air during a jump, or while gliding with Floating Crane Glide, or while flying with Soar Like A Sparrow, you can choose to end your leap or flight and drop downwards suddenly in an aerial dive to strike an enemy directly below you or within 5 feet horizontally of your position (your height does not matter for this purpose). Performing the Aerial Swoop ends your turn, and immediately after performing the Aerial Swoop you land on your feet at any spot of your choice within 5 feet from the targeted foe. Treat the Aerial Swoop as a melee attack for purposes of attack and damage bonuses. When performing an Aerial Swoop, you make a single attack with a circumstance bonus of +4, and if your attack is successful, you inflict an additional 1d6 damage for every 10 feet you dropped vertically from the air before striking the foe. However, you yourself suffer falling damage of 1d6 per 30 feet dropped, rounded up, which cannot be reduced by Tread Like Spider or Safe Fall. Foes receive no attacks of opportunity against you when performing an Aerial Swoop, but after initiating the Aerial Swoop you suffer a -4 penalty to Armor Class until the beginning of your next turn, due to brief disorientation and the impact. As a note, the benefits of the Wind Dance and Bound Of The Hare feats still apply when using the Aerial Swoop, so their dodge bonuses to AC may counteract or lessen the AC penalty of this ability in many situations, and the other benefits of Wind Dance may make an Aerial Swoop attack more likely to succeed. Aerial Swoop counts as an extraordinary ability.

Blowing Wind Cascade (General, Martial Art)
You can strike like a tsunami with furious, rapid attacks from mid-air, utilizing not only your fists but your legs as well for simultaneous punches and kicks in quick succession.
Prerequisites: BAB +11 or higher, Strength 15+, Dexterity 19+, Wisdom or Charisma 17+, Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Tread Like Spider, Floating Crane Glide, Soar Like A Sparrow, Wind Dance, Aerial Swoop, Balance 15+ ranks, Jump 12+ ranks.
Benefits: While in mid-air during a jump, or during the gliding of Floating Crane Glide or the flight of Soar Like A Sparrow, you can rain down a flurry of strikes upon an opponent within melee range, and yet continue your jump, glide, or flight regardless of the brief aerial barrage you unleash. This works similar to the Spring Attack or Fly-By Attack feats, except that you may perform a full-attack action during your movement, and you aren't limited to just moving your speed, but instead just complete the distance of your jump, glide, or flight after unleashing your cascade of blows. While you use Blowing Wind Cascade, you gain an additional two attacks from your full-attack action, each at your highest attack bonus, but all of your attacks during the Blowing Wind Cascade suffer a -4 attack penalty (this overrides the character's Flurry Of Blows ability, if any, as well as any similar abilities). However, because of your momentum and the power you put behind your blows, each of your attacks deals +1 damage if successful (not multiplied on a critical hit, but effective even against foes immune to critical hits). Blowing Wind Cascade counts as a supernatural ability.

Martial Arts Mastery:

Wind Striding Art Mastery
You have mastered the aerial nuances of the graceful Wind Striding Art.
Prerequisites: Leap Of Grasshopper, Ki Leap, Tread Like Spider, Floating Crane Glide, Bound Of The Hare, Soar Like A Sparrow, Wind Dance, Aerial Swoop, Blowing Wind Cascade, Balance 15+ ranks, Jump 15+ ranks, Tumble 5+ ranks.
Benefits: While jumping, gliding with Floating Crane Glide, or flying with Soar Like A Sparrow, you gain a +1 bonus on all melee attack rolls (including the attack roll for Aerial Swoop), and an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC. You also never provoke an attack of opportunity when jumping, gliding, or flying within, through, out of, or into a threatened area.